Borderland Battles is based on extensive fieldwork: more than 600 interviews in and on the Colombia-Venezuela and Colombia-Ecuador border regions. Her focus has been on the convergence of armed conflict and organized crime in these regions: how groups compete for territorial control, how they cooperate, and how they fill governance gaps by playing roles that states normally do.

Dr. Idler’s work offers a more holistic and nuanced understanding of “people-centered security” than has been available so far. It has also given her detailed knowledge of the Colombia-Venezuela border zone, which is suffering important consequences of Venezuela’s crisis.

A presentation from Dr. Idler will be followed by Q&A. Books will be available for sale.